I was getting hit with make-up from every side. Shanna and Aylin were both trying to do my make-up. I kept telling them that it was just a friendly meeting. We hadn't sat down and talked for a long time. We used to do it almost every night. I would drive to his house and he would be waiting on the sidewalk. He would run over and open my door and guide me in. When we finished our conversations or didn't have anything else to talk about, we would make popcorn and rent a movie. I would always have back-up clothing in my car, just in case I did accidentally fall asleep.
"Alright, you are finished. I think that every guy in school would want a piece of you right now."
I opened my eyes to see a different me. It wasn't all black like I assumed it would be, it still had black in it, but it had color. They put black liquid eye liner on, blue and light grey eye shadow on with a hint of pink below my eyebrow. They had put me into a shirt that tucked into my shorts, which went all the way over my stomach. They curled and fixed my hair so it looked long and bouncy. They put red heels on my feet, which matched my red buttons on my shorts that went all the way up to the hems.
I jumped when I heard my phone go of. I ran over to check it and saw the Blake was outside, coming to pick me up if I was ready. I ran over to the window and slid it open. I texted him to look up and roll down a window. After he texted okay and I looked up and yelled:
"I'll be down in like a minute."
"Okay!"
I ran to grab my purse and thanked Shanna and Aylin for the great job they did of fixing me for the time being. I ran out the front door and slowed dow to a casual walk. I opened the door and got in.
"Hey, B. How long have you been waiting down here?"
"I just got here. You look gorgeous."
"Thanks."
I smiled and pulled a strand of hair behind my ear. I buckled my seatbelt and smiled to myself.
He pulled the car out of park and drove forward.
The only talking that was done in that car on the way to the restaurant was on the radio during the commercials. It was awkward the whole way there. I just kept staring out the window and ever so often, I would look back and Blake who was gripping the steering wheel so tight, that his knuckles turned white. I finally got sick of the silence.
"So, it seems that Sugar is really into you. Do you like her back?"
"I honestly don't know. I mean, yes, she is a really sweet person, she isn't afraid to show her style off, even thought sometimes she looks a little like a young Lady Gaga, and she has great talent. I may like her a little, but we have nothing in common. I mean she likes boxing and you know how much I hate boxing. She really likes country music, even though she doesn't really show it, and I loathe country music. It is just the little things and sadly, the add up. I may ask her out, but I wouldn't want her to push you out of my life like Tasha did. You are my best friend. I used to tell everything to you, even if it was the most awkward thing ever. I just wanted to get it all off of my chest and you were there. After I started dating Tasha, she slowly pushed you away from me. We would see each other in the hallway and smile and somehow she would catch up to me and kiss me in front of you or do something just to make you jealous. I hated it, yet dating the most popular girl in school seemed better than our friendship. I have so many secrets to tell you, but right now I will tell you the most important one. She took my v-card. I know I once promised that I would be married when that happened, but I was drunk and can't remember a thing from that night. The only thing I can remember, is that the next morning, she kept telling me how amazing last night was. I just kept asking what happened last night. She finally told me and tried to go into details, but I stormed out upset, knowing that I broke our promise. That night I slept on your doorstep. As you dad was leaving in the morning, he stumbled over me. I asked him not to tell you about what had happened. He promised and said that you still loved me and would never give up on me."
"One night, my dad snuck into my room and read my poetry on my laptop. He figured out it was about you. It was about how badly I missed you and how all I wanted was a shoulder to cry on and yours wasn't available. Sadly enough, yours was the one I wanted. I had just let my feelings out to my computer instead of you, because you weren't there. It also said that my hope wasn't lost, that I still believed in you and your promises. Which, may I remind you, that one of them was never to let me go."
"Well, I may have let you go most of the way, but you were still there. You were just shoved in the little corner of my brain. There was one little, tiny strand that held on to you with all it's might, hoping that one day, I would wake up and realize that you were missing from my life and I needed you back. Hallway glances seemed to be enough at the time."
"Hallway glances were never enough for me. All I really wanted to do was run up to you and hug you and told you I missed you. I daydreamed about that one day and you talked back instead of ignoring me. You said you felt the same way about missing me. My daydream ended whem my Spanish teacher put a failed test in front of my face and told me I needed to do better."
We pulled up to the resturant, both filled with emotion. I didn' to know how to feel. When we talked before, we never really talked like this, with all the emotion. He would usually say something to make me laugh and get me out of my bad mood. I wasn't in a bad mood, I just wanted something to laugh at, because really, I haven't laughed in a long time.
"Sorry this car smells like a Febreez bottle exploded in it. My mom heard that I was taking you to dinner and she went crazy with it. She sprayed the dogs even! You know how much mom loves you, but I don't think she knows how much you hate the smell of Febreez. I guess she doesn't know you like I know you."
I giggle. At least it was a step towards a laugh. I looked down and and pressed the red button to unlock my seatbelt and Blake's door slammed. I looked up and saw him running over to my door to open it. I looked down again and pressed the red button one more time. It wouldn't open. My door opened and Blake stood there. I looked up at him and laughed.
"I would hate to ruin this moment, but my seatbelt is stuck."
He laughed and reached over and pressed it with his thumb and it clicked open.
"It just takes the right touch."
I loked down at it and giggled. He was ducking out from under the hood when his cheek brushed mine. I looked up at him and saw his face get really red. He pulled out faster and hit his head on the handle on the roof of the car.
"Ouch!"
"Oh my gosh, are you okay?"
He looked down at me, tears welling up in his eyes. I assumed it wasn't just from the handle.
"Nellie, I just wanted to tell you, and I hoped I didn't have to tell you with tears running down my face, because that isn't that manly, but I wanted to tell you that I missed you so much. I have just kept so much in because there was nobody to tell. My heart was empty without you. Every time Tasha and I kissed, there was that twinge of guilt, knowing that you weren't there afterwards. I would run to you and tell you everything. You were my diary and I told you all the little things I would never tell anyone but you, and every so often, I would ask you to read my past back and you did, word for word, mostly."
He started to cry a little harder and I grabbed his chin.
"Hey, you are my brother. I will always be there, no matter what. I would hate to ruin another centimental moment, but my legs are stuck to the seat. A little awkward, so may I please get out and give you a hug?"
He backed away and I stood up slowly, unsticking myself from the seat. He shut the door behind me and I unruffled my dress. I lokoed over at him and he looked a little red. I didn't know what from, all I did know, was that he was the sweetest guy ever, and I would never let him go wuite like that again.
